nothing remains but the subduing of enemies and the application of the benefits procured by that Oblation for the good of the Elect. Vers. 15. Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us for after that hee had said before 16. This is the Covenant that I will make with them after those daies saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their hearts and in their minds will I write them 17. And their sins and iniquities will I remember us more Argum. 11. The New Covenant founded on the Sacrifice of Christ absolutely without any condition promises to all the Elect full Sanctification I will put my Law c. and remission of sins I will remember them no more as the Holy Ghost testifies Ier. 31.31 c. Therefore the Sacrifice of Christ c. Vers. 18 Now where remission of these is there is no more offering for sin Argum. 12. That one Sacrifice of Christ obtains from God full pardon of sins to the faithful under the New Covenant that hee neither leaves any place for the repetition of it nor to any other offering for sin Therefore the Sacrifice of Christ is more excellent than the Levitical The Second Part of the Chapter Vers. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Iesus The second paâ—â— follows wherein hee brings the precedent Doctrine into use by way of exhortation consisting of divers branches That with confidence in God to ver 23. promoting the work of Holiness in themselves particularly and in all the members of the Church in general to ver 26. they patiently and confidently persevere in the Faith unto the end And briefly this whole exhortation may bee gathered into this Proposition Yee ought with confidence patiently to persevere in your endeavours after holiness The Arguments of this exhortation which prove and inforce this Proposition are nineteen whereof some alluding to types so hee lays them down that withall hee may raise the minds of the Hebrews to the excellency of the thing signified Having Argum. 1. Yee have together with us boldness by Faith in your prayers in this life of entring into Heaven and full possession after this life by approaching unto God himself Therefore ought yee with boldness to persevere in the Faith By the blood Argum. 2. By the blood or death of Jesus Christ as by a full price of our Redemption and Reconciliation this priviledge is procured for you that in all your necessities yee may freely open your minds to God Therefore ought yee boldly to persevere Vers. 20. By a new and living way which hee hath consecrated for us through the veil that is to say his flesh Argum. 3. Christ being made man and uniting himself with us in our common nature hath dedicated his flesh or his humanity to this use that yee with us being advantaged with this communion of nature by his Mediation as by a new way plain safe and living which quickens those that walk in it and refreshes the weary yee may come unto God as the Levitical High Priest entred by the veil into the Sanctuary Therefore ought yee to persevere with confidence in God Vers. 21. And having an High Priest over the house of God Argum. 4. Wee have Christ our High Priest who goes before us in the way bearing the iniquity of the inferiour Priests lest the things which are done amiss by us in our imperfect services might hinder our access to God Therefore c. Over the Argum. 5. Wee have Christ very tender towards us over the house of God who hath power to admit into Heaven whom hee will and of assigning a place to them that are entered as he please and out of the treasury of his grace to bestow upon them as much as can be desired Therefore c. Vers. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water 23. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for hee is faithful that promised Argum. 6. The priviledge of a new and sincere heart is given to Beleevers to a full assurance of Faith and a peaceable conscience in Christ and to holiness of life which were signified by the Legal washings yee therefore by Faith apprehending your priviledge with us and applying to your selves the virtue of Christs blood by Faith being assured yee ought together with us in Sanctification of life to approach nearer unto God and to cleave unto him that yee may the more boldly persevere Faithful Arg. 7. God who hath promised all grace to them that hope in him that they may perseveâ—e to salvation is faithful Therefore c. Vers. 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching Argum. 8. Unless yee diligently take heed that by all waies and means which make for your particular or the Churches perseverance in general viz. by considering one another and exciting one another to love and to good works by attending publick meetings and preserving the unity of the Church c. there is danger leâ—t a separation or Schism follow and at length Apostacy from the Faith as experience testifies in the persons of some Therefore c. So much the more Argum. 9. The day of judgement approacheth wherein to those that persevere in and apostatize from the Faith a reward shall bee given according to their works Vers. 26. For if wee sin wilfully after that wee have received the knowledge of the truth there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins Argum. 10. Unless yee persevere in the Faith or if after the acknowledgement of the truth of the Gospel wilfully or on set purpose yee fall back from the Gospel which is to sin against the Holy Ghost there remains no more Sacrifice for sin nor by consequence remission of sin if so be yee rejecting Christ and his Sacrifice maliciously there is no more Sacrifice for sin left Therefore lest yee fall into this abysse yee ought carefully to persevere Vers. 27. But a certain fearful looking for of judgement and fiery indignation which shall devoure the adversaries Argum. 11. There abides for Apostates who knowingly and willfully reject Christ and maliciously betake themselves to the adversaries side a fear of the dreadful judgement of God and of eternal fire which shall devoure all the enemies of Christ and chiefly Apostates Therefore ought yee to persevere in the Faith Vers. 28. Hee that despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses 29. Of how much sorer punishment suppose yee shall hee bee thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the Son of God and hath counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith hee was sanctified an unholy thing and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace
for ever to help them all to Heaven who seek unto God through him onely 2. Because life is here in Christ as in the fountain that hee may give life to whomsoever hee will that is unto all that come unto him 3. Because it giveth life and refreshment to the weary passenger and quickneth his dead and dumpish heart when hee considereth that his Saviour is a man indeed so earnest to have us saved that hee hath yoaked himself in communion of nature with us thereby to save us It is meat indeed to his soul that the Word is made flesh It is drink indeed to consider that hee hath suffered for our sins As Elias Chariot so is Christs Man-head and sufferings Get up here by Faith in him and thou shalt go up to God This way is that of Eagles wings Lay first hold upon Jesus Christ God manifested in the flesh and hee will mount up with thee and carry thee through the wilderness to Canaan from the natural misery and sins which thou lyest in unto Heaven 6. This Way leadeth through the Veil to teach us That wee comming to Christs Man-head must not subsist there but by this mean seeking to God who dwelleth in him that our Faith and Hope may be in God Wee enter by the Man Christ and do rest on God in Christ on the fulness of the God-head which dwelleth bodily in Christ. This is to distinguish the Natures of Christ and to keep the unity of his Person rightly Vers. 21. And having an High Priest over the House of GOD. For our further satisfaction he giveth us Christ over again to make yet more use of him to direct guide and convoy us in the way to lead us to the Father in Heaven through the Courts of his Dwelling and to bring us in to him and make us welcome there 1. We have Christ for a Priest to us whose lips do always preserve knowledge in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge who will inform our mindes and perswade our hearts to believe and obey who will reconcile by his once offered sacrifice the Believer will intercede for the reconciled to keep him still in grace will bless us with all spiritual blessings will take our prayers thanksgiving and the spiritual sacrifice of all the good works of our hands and wash the pollutions from them will offer them in our name with the incense and perfume of his own merits and lead our selves in where our Lamps shall be furnished and our Table filled till we go into Heaven and there he will welcome us in a Mansion prepared for us 2. He is a High Priest adorned with all Authority and all Perfections having all in substance which the types did signifie who beareth our names yea our selves on the shoulders of his power and in the breast of his hearty love who beareth the iniquity of the holy things and holiness in his forehead for us In whom the Father is well pleased with us and hath made us acceptable as in his well-beloved 3. He is over the House of God He hath authority and power to bring in whom he pleaseth and to give forth of the Treasure as much as he will All the Mansions in his Fathers dwelling Hoâ—se are his and all at his disposing to open so as none shall shut To him belongeth to give forth the sentence of Admission to Heaven and to say Come you blessed of the Father Yea to make this his authority manifest he will come again and take us unto himself that where he is we may be there also 4. We have this High Priest that is he is ours because 1. Taken out from amongst us one of our number albeit not of our conditions of our nature but separate from our sinful manners holy and harmless 2. Because he is for us in things appertaining to God to imploy his means and power for our behoof towards God 3. Because bound in all bands with us of nature of grace and good will of the Fathers gift and appointment and his own Covenant and special Contract with us So that albeit an uncouth man may possible leave a stranger in his journey alone yet Christ cannot chuse to do so to us but for the Bands betwixt him and us he will never leave us nor forsake us Vers. 22. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water From these Priviledges he presseth an exhortation To draw near to God and prescribeth the disposition required of us in our drawing near 1. This exhortation sheweth 1. That true Christians are oftentimes so sensible of their own unworthiness that under that sense they are inclined of themselves to stand afar off and have need of encouragement and invitation to draw near 2. That such as are most sensible of their own unworthiness are most called to come forwards unto GOD for he giveth grace to the humble 2. He layeth down the Priviledges in the former verses and in this draweth on the Exhortation To teach us 1. That such priviledges as are granted unto us in Christ must be received and believed as truth 2. That we must study to make use of our priviledges and challenge them for our own 3. That the weakest of true believers in Christ may thrust in themselves at the doors of grace amongst the holy Apostles For the Apostle putteth the Hebrews with himself in the exhortation for this end 3. For our disposition and sitting to draw near he requireth first That we have a true heart He saith not a sensless heart but a true heart that is such a heart as in the matter of believing mindeth no confidence but in Gods grace through Christ onely And in the matter of Gods service mindeth onely his will in its aim and alloweth onely that which is his will in its câ—nsure Then an honest heart which honestly acknowledgeth its own sins and flyeth to Christs blood for sprinkling whose aim is upright endeavours upright and censure of it self upright allowing in itself nothing but what God alloweth and displeased with that which displeaseth God albeit many ways weak and imperfect yet hath liberty to draw near unto God 4. The next thing he requireth is full assurance of faith That is a settled and full perswasion to be accepted even through Jesus Christ. Then albeit the Lord will not despise the weakest measure of faith and will not quench the smoaking flax yet it pleaseth him better yea it is his commandment that men study unto the full assurance of faith for the more thou restest on Gods Covenant with thee in Jesus Christ the more thou sealest his truth glorifiest him becomest the more like unto faithful Abraham and gettest the deeper rooting in Christ. 5. The third is That the heart be sprinkled from an evil conscience The heart is sprinkled when a sinner sensible of sin maketh hearty application to himself
of the blood of Iesus for remission of sins after this hearty application of Christs blood the conscience is furnished with a good answer unto all challenges and so is made good a comfortable conscience absolving the man through faith in Jesus whom it tormented with challenges before it ran to the blood of Jesus for sprinkling Then whensoever the conscience is evil accuseth and vexeth let the vexed heart run to Christs blood and then shall it be free from an evil conscience for the blood of Jesus cleanseth us from all sin Let the heart be sprinkled and the conscience will be good 6. The fourth thing required in him that draweth near as he should is That his body be washed with pure water That is That according to the signification of that Legal Rite their outward conversation be blameless and holy sin being so curbed within that it reign not in their mortal body so foughten against within as it break not forth in scandalous works of Darkness in the actions of the body Then 1. With a sprinkled conscience within men must joyn an holy and blameless conversation without 2. The washing of the conversation without must proceed from an heart sensibly acquainted with the power of the blood of Jesus 3. And this outward holiness of the body must be wrought with pure water that is by the Spirit of Sanctification to distinguish the reformation of a believer from a counterfeit who without may look like a righteous man but within be as a whited Tomb full of rottenness Verse 23. Let us hold fast the Profession of our Faith without wavering for he is faithful that promised Another Exhortation to avow the faith of Christ that is the doctrine of Christ the truth received from Christ and believed and not to quit it in the time of tryal upon any condition 1. The requiring to hold fast the confession of our Faith or Hope as the word importeth teacheth 1. That a true Christian must not onely hold the truth of Christ secretly but must confess it profess and avow it openly where Gods glory and others good requireth the same 2. That he must look for adversary powers and temptations to take that truth or at least the confession of it from him 3. That in these tryals and essays he must hold the faster gripe and avow it so much the more stedfastly as he is tempted to quit it 4. That when he is put to the tryal of this Confession of any point of his Faith hee is also put to the tryal of the confession of his hope whether his hopes of the promised salvation in Jesus be stronger to keep him stedfast or the terror and allurement from men stronger to make him quit the point of truth converted 5. That nothing but this hope is able to make a man stand out in tryal if hee be hardly urged 2. Hee will have the avowing of the truth of Christ to be without wavering Then 1. Men must so learn the Truth that they need not to change again that is must study to know the Truth soundly and solidly 2. And having learned it must not say and unsay one day avow it and another day quit it For so God getteth not his due glory Beholders are not edified the mans testimony wanteth weight with the adversary But hee must be invincible in the truth who will neither alter nor change or diminish any thing of it for fear or favour 3. Hee giveth this for a ground of constancy For hee is faithful who hath promised That is the promises which Iesus hath made to such as constantly beleeve in him shall be surely performed that no constant professor of his Truth shall be ashamed Then 1. Where wee have a promise of any thing made unto us in Scripture wee may be confident to obtain it and bold to avow our hope thereof against such as would teach us the Doctrine of Doubting whereunto wee are of our selves prone and inclined and against such as shake the assurance of the Saints perseverance 2. The ground of our confidence is not in our selves but in the faithfulness of Jesus Christ who hath promised such graces to his children 3. Our bold avowing of our hope is not a bragging of our own strength but a magnifying of Christs faithfulness Vers. 24. And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and unto good works Hee strengtheneth his former Exhortation by giving of directions to further their obedience thereunto And first for mutual up-stirring one of another Whereof wee learn 1. That mutual edification of Christians amongst themselves and sharpening one of another is a special help to constancy in true Religion and a preservative against Apostacy 2. Prudence is required hereunto that mutually wee observe one anothers disposition Gifts Experience Virtues and Faults that wee may the better fit our selves to do good each one of us unto another and to receive good each one of another in our Christian conversing together 3. A godly striving one with another who shall be first in love and well-doing is better than the ordinary strife who shall exceed others in vanity and superfluity of apparel and fare Vers. 25. Not forsaking the assembling of our selves together as the manner of some is but exhorting one another and so much the more as yee see the day approaching Another mean to this same end is the frequenting of Christian Assemblies and Meetings which may further this purpose of mutual edification And therefore 1. Church-Assemblies must be well kept by such as do minde to prove constant in the true Religion 2. Christian Meetings also of private Christians for mutual conference and exhorting one of another is not to be neglected nor forsaken but to be used for keeping unity in the Church and not to foster Schism or hinder the publick Assemblies 2. Hee taxeth the fault of some amongst them who in Schism or purpose of Apostasie withdrew themselves from all Church-Assemblies and Christian-Meetings and fell back again or were in the way of falling back to the denial of Christ openly Then 1. Separation from the true Church and Christian society of the faithful is a remarkable evil 2. The Schism or Apostasie of others should not weaken us in following any good mean of edification but rather stir us up unto more diligence lest by negligence wee fall peece and peece back after their example 3. Hee maketh the approaching of the day to wit of Gods Iudgement a special motive to use the means diligently and make us constant in the Faith Then 1. The day of Gods Judgement should still be looked unto as a thing near hand even at the doors because it is but a very little and our day shall come yea and but a little time till our Lord shall come to judgement 2. The consideration of the day of judgement is a fit mean to sharpen us unto all good Duties which may make our reckoning to be furthered at that day and to make us boldly
our liberty wee should disturb the Kingdome of Christ. Vers 18. For hee that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God and approved of men Argum. 6. They that use these as meat drink and the like indifferent things wisely to the service of Christ taking them by his leave and abstaining that the work of Christ may bee promoted are acceptable to God and men Therefore wee are to use our Christian liberty without offence Vers. 19. Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace and things wherewith one may edifie another Argum. 7. By way of Consequence from the former Argument drawn by way of Exhortation So must wee use our liberty that by peace and edification of others the Kingdome of Christ may bee promoted Therefore wee must not use our Christian liberty but so far as it may bee most serviceable to peace and edification Vers. 20. For meat destroy not the work of God all things indeed are pure but it is evil for that man who eateth with offence Argum. 8. The work of God ought not to bee destroyed or the salvation of thy Brother brought into danger for a light matter as the use of a certain kind of meat at a certain time Therefore wee must not eat with offence All things Hee prevents an Objection Some might say all things are lawful i. e. those meats whereof wee speak Hee answers It is true considering the things by themselves but they are unlawful in case of scandal to him that eats with offence to them that are weak Vers. 21. It is good neither to eat flesh nor to drink Wine nor any thing whereby thy Brother stumbleth or is offended or is made weak Argum. 9. It is good to abstain from all meat and drink when there is danger that our Brother in the matter of Religion may bee made worse by our using meats and drinks Therefore in such a case wee ought to abstain Vers. 22. Hast thou Faith have it to thy self before God Happy is hee that condemneth not himself in that thing which hee alloweth Hee here meets with an Objection I have Faith concerning my liberty and it is necessary that I profess it Hee answers by denying that profession is necessary by way of fact in matter of scandal because liberty consists no less with abstinence than the use of the thing wherefore hee commands that the Objector bee content in such a case concerning the liberty of his Faith by an inward professing of it towards God Blessed Hee confirms his assertion by an Aphorism wherein the tenth Argument is contained Hee is blessed who in that hee certainly knows to bee lawful for him that hee may use it or refrain from it so using his liberty that by abusing of it to the offence of others hee make not himself guilty of condemnation Therefore in such a case wee must refrain Vers. 23. And hee that doubteth is damned if hee eat because hee eateth not of Faith for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin Argum. 11. There is danger lest a weak and doubtful person should bee drawn by the meer example of him that eats to eat with a doubting conscience and sin running headlong into the guilt of condemnation Therefore in such a case wee must abstain By this Argument hee deters the weak from eating with a doubtful conscience by the example of any man and hee deters the strong from unseasonable eating lest hee bee the cause of another mans sin and guilt Whatsoever Hee proves him to sin that eats with a doubting conscience because hee eats not of Faith or out of perswasion that the deed is lawful and whatever is not done of Faith that it may bee a lawful deed hee pronounceth it to bee sin CHAP. XV. THere are two parts of the Chapter In the former part the Apostle proceeds in his Exhortation to them that are weak in the Faith touching Christian Liberty how they should carry themselves towards the weak to vers 13. In the other part is contained the conclusion of the Epistle to the end Vers. 1. Wee then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak and not to please our selves That which concerns the first Because no agreement in differences about the use of things indifferent can probably bee expected without sin unless they that are strong carry themselves decently towards them that are weak in the use of their liberty Therefore hee exhorts that they would so do and bear the infirmities of the weak patiently bearing with them and by prudent counsel pardoning them as those that are weak in that matter The Arguments of his Exhortation are seven To bear Argum. 1. It 's the duty of the stronger both by the Law of Nature and by Divine Law to bear the burdens of the weak Therefore the strong in Faith in these things indifferent ought to bear with the infirmities of the weak Please Argum. 2. The stronger which refuse to perform this duty towards the weak will bee found guilty of self-love onely minding their own private advantages Therefore the weak are to bee born with Vers. 2. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification Argum. 3. Because every man is bound to please his neighbour when it may bee done to his edification and for his good Hee addes to Edification lest wee fall into sin for the sake of any one Vers. 3. For even Christ pleased not himself but as it is written The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on mee Argum. 4. Whereby the former is confirmed from the example of Christ Christ not respecting his own profit but our infirmity and salvation pleased not himself but us which hee proves because our sins which in their nature are injuries unto God Christ bore that hee might free us from deserved punishments and hee put his shoulders to bear our burthen Therefore for the sake of them that are weak wee ought to depart from our right at least in things indifferent that they may bee saved Vers. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Hee proves that this example is to bee imitated from the general scope of the Scriptures which is our edification in faith and obedience by promises precepts and examples that wee in all our tribulation patiently obeying the Will of God might have consolation and hope through the Scriptures Vers. 5. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to bee like-minded one towards another according to Christ Iesus Hee concludes the Argument with prayer that God who is the fountain of patience and comfort would give unto them the same affection one towards another according to the example of Christ i. e. that they might think the same thing according to the doctrine of Christ and might love one another for if love abounded there would bee agreement in things indifferent Vers. 6. That you may
who obey Christ can claim Title to the purchase of eternal life by him Now these are they who obey him who in uprightness of heart beleeve in his promises and aim to draw strength out of him for new obedience Vers. 10. Called of God an High-Priest after the Order of Melchisedec Hee proveth that Christ is Author of eternal salvation to his Followers from the nature of his Priesthood which is eternal not after Aarons Order but Melchisedec's Then the nature of Christs Priesthood after Melchisedec's order and the Fathers authorizing him in the Office is the evidence of our eternal salvation to bee had by him with the Fathers approbation Vers. 11. Of whom wee have many things to say and hard to bee uttered seeing yee are dull of hearing Being to speak more of this mystery hee prepareth them by checking their dulness and advertising them of the difficulty of expressing himself because of the same Then 1. Even the Children of God are not free of this disease of slowness to conceive spiritual things aright 2. The incapacity of Auditors will breed even unto the best Preachers difficulty of expressing their mind 3. Preachers should rebuke the dulness of people to stir them up the more Vers. 12. For when for the time yee ought to bee Teachers yee have need that one teach you again which bee the first Principles of the Oracles of God and are become such as have need of Milk and not of strong meat 1. Hee maketh their fault the more because by reason of time they ought to have been Teachers that is both well grounded themselves and labouring to inform others Then 1. As wee have longer time to learn so should wee make more progress in knowledge 2. As wee are rooted in knowledge our selves so ought wee to communicate our knowledge and inform others 2. Hee calleth the Catechizing of the Ignorant the Teaching the first Principles of the Oracles of God and compareth it to the giving of Milk Then 1. Catechizing of the rude and ignorant is the first thing must bee done for making sound Christians 2. There is an order to be kept in bringing men unto knowledge The first principles â—nd fundamental Doctrines must first be taught 3. Nothing is to bee taught for grounding men in Religion but Gods Oracles that which is in Gods word onely 4. The manner of teaching the Principles of Religion should bee easie and plain as Milk for Children Vers. 13. For every one that useth Milk is unskilful in the Word of Righteousness For hee is a Babe Hee proveth them to bee rude in knowledge by the description of one weak in knowledge whom hee calleth a Babe using Milk and unskilful in the Word of Righteousness so called because how to be righteous is the sum of the Doctrine of it Then 1. There are degrees of knowledge in Christianity Some are weak like Babes some more instructed and of full age 2. All knowledge in Christianity is to bee reckoned by acquaintance with the Scripture and skill therein Not by humane learning Vers. 14. But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil 1. Hee describeth the well-instructed Christian by his meat and exercised senses The meat that hee is fit for is strong meat that is more profound Doctrine Then 1. All the Scripture and Doctrine from it is either Milk or stronger meat but whether this or that yet alwaies it is food fit for nourishment of mens souls 2. Discretion must bee used by Teachers to fit their teaching as their people are advanced for Milk or stronger meat so as they may best bee fed 2. For the exercise of his senses or wits to discern good or evil hee hath it by use habit and frequent acquainting himself with Scripture Then 1. The use of the Scripture and knowledge gotten thereby is to discern by it what is good what is evil what is truth what is errour what is right what is wrong 2. Though Scripture bee the Rule yet not every one can take it up or make right application of the Rule to the point in hand 3. To get a mans wits exercised requireth frequent use of and acquaintance with the Scripture And without this haunting our mind in the Scriptures and observing the Lords counsel therein a man cannot bee able albeit hee were versed in humane writs to discern false Doctrine from true The Summe of Chap. VI. THerefore albeit you bee rude yet presupposing you are so setled in the grounds of Faith Repentance Baptism c. that yee shall not renounce them again I will lead you on a little further if God please vers 1 2 3. For if after clear conviction of the truth a man voluntarily revolt and fall away from the grounds of true Religion there is neither repentance nor mercy for such a man because hee maliciously doth what hee can to put Christ to as great a shame as those who first crucified him vers 4 5 6. And as God blesseth those who bring forth fruits by his manuring of them vers 7. So is it justice that hee curse such as grow worse after manuring vers 8. But I hope better of you vers 9. As the fruits of your Faith give mee warrant vers 10. Only that you may be more and more assured continue diligent vers 11. And follow the example of the faithful before you in hope of the inheritance vers 12. For the promise made to Abraham and the faithful his children is very sure confirmed by an oath vers 13 14. And Abraham at last obtained it vers 15. For as an oath endeth strife among men vers 16. So to end our strife with God in misbeleeving of him hee sware the promise to Abraham and to his seed vers 17. That upon so solid grounds as are Gods Promise and Gods Oath wee might have comfort who have fled to Christ and hope for his help vers 18. Which hope is as an anchor which will not suffer us to bee driven from Heaven where Christ is established Eternal Priest after the order of Melchisedec vers 19 22. The Doctrine of Chap. VI. Vers. 1. Therefore leaving the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ let us go on unto Perfection not laying again the foundation of Repentance from dead works and of Faith towards God 1. FRom the reproof of their dulness hee draweth an Exhortation to amend their pace and go forwards Which teacheth us that the conscience of our by-gone slips and sloathfulness should bee a sharp spur to drive us to a swifter pace for overtaking of our Task 2. Hee calleth the Principles of Religion the Principles of the Doctrine of Christ. Then 1. The Doctrine of Christ is the summe of Religion Hee that hath learned Christ well hath learned all 2. Nothing to be taught in Christs house but his doctrine which commeth from him and tendeth to him 3. Hee leaveth the Principles and goeth on
sinfulness in mind and heart are Preparations to fit us and set us on to joyn in this Covenant wherein God undertaketh to help and remedy all these felt evils through His Christ by putting His Laws in our Mind and writing them in our Hearts For what is this else but tâ— illuminate our Mind more and more with the understanding of his will and to frame our hearts and affections to the obedience of the same 4. That by the Covenant comfort is provided for sinners who are humbled in the sense of their sins and no door opened for presumption nor room given to prophane persons to go on their ways blessing themselves For the maker of the New Covenant presupposeth two things First that his party renounce his own righteousness which he might seem able to have by the Old Covenant Next that he flee for relief to God in Christ to have the benefits promised in this New Covenant Which if he do it is impossible that he can either lean to his own merits or live in the love of his sinful lusts 5. That by this Covenant such an union is made betwixt God and the Believer that the Believer is the Lords adopted childe and the Lord is the Believers God all-sufficient for ever promising to be all to the Believer which to be our God may import and to make the Believer all that one of his people should be Verse 11. And they shall not teach every man his neighbour and every man his brother saying Know the Lord For all shall know me from the least to the greatest 1. While he saith They shall not teach every man his neighbour he doth not mean that his Word and Ordinances and Ministry appointed by him or brotherly communion for mutual edification shall be mis-regarded or not made use of But by the contrary That he will himself be their Teacher in these his own means First giving his children a greater measure of the Spirit and a more neer communion with himself than of old 2. Making his children so wise unto salvation as they shall not hang their Faith upon mans authority but search by all means till they understand the minde of God the infallible Teacher as he hath revealed himself in his Word 3. So clearing the Truth which is outwardly taught unto them by his own Instruments after so sure and perswasive a manner by his Spirit inwardly that the outward Teaching shall be no Teaching in comparison of the inward concurrence according as we hear those Samaritans were taught who believed indeed the womans report that they might go to Christ But when they were come to him got so great satisfaction from himself that they said unto her Now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him our selves and know that this is indeed that Christ John 4.42 So will the Lord inwardly make his Truth powerful unto Salvation to his own that they may say to those that are his Instruments Now we believe not because of your saying but because we have heard him our selves Then 1. It is not Gods will that other mens belief should be the Rule of our belief but that we all search to understand the Scriptures and Gods will revealed therein 2. It is easie from this ground to answer that famous question How know you such and such grounds of Salvation We answer It is an Article of the New Covenant They shall be all taught of God 2. He saith They shall all know me from the least to the greatest Then 1. The New Covenant admitteth all Ranks and Degrees of persons and excludeth none high nor low that love to embrace it 2. It may be in sundry points of truth some of them be ignorant and mistaken more than other some But of the saving knowledge of God in Christ they shall all have light in a saving measure 3. The greatest as well as the meanest in whatsoever respect of Place or Gifts must be Gods Disciples in the study of saving Knowledge and hearty obedience Vers. 12. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more 1. To make us believe the former Promises he addeth to a New Article of the Remission of sins because from the Conscience of those ordinarily do arise our doubts and difficulty of drawing near to God Then 1. The conscience of sin must not drive us away from God but rather force us to run unto God more humbly because onely to such as come unto him in his Christ is remission of sin promised 2. Whatsoever sort of sins they be unrighteousness or sin or inquity they shall not hinder God to be gracious to the penitent fleeing to this Covenant for refuge 2. In saying For I will be merciful 1. He maketh his mercy pardoning sin the reason of his bestowing the former good things His giving of one grace the reason of giving another even grace for grace 2. He maketh his mercy the ground of all this favour and nothing in the mans person or works or worthiness of his faith 3. The word Merciful is in the Original Pacified and doth import both Gods respect to the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ which pacifieth him towards us and also our duty in looking towards it as the price of our reconciliation 3. In that the Lord joyneth the promise of putting his Law in the minde and writing it in our heart with the promise of remission of sins he teacheth us That he will have every confederate soul that seeketh the benefit of this Covenant to joyn all these benefits together in their claim with remission of sin seeking to joyn the illumination of their minde renovation of their heart and life at least in their desires and endeavours and not to sever one of them from another but study in uprightness to have them all 4. While he saith He will remember their sins no more he teacheth 1. That he will never forgive sin nor forget it but set it ever in his sight till a man enter into this Covenant with him through Christ. 2. That when he hath forgiven sin he forgeteth sin also whatsoever he remitteth he removeth from his remembrance Vers. 13. In that he saith A New Covenant he hath made the first Old Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away From the name that the Lord giveth this Covenant in calling it New he draweth two consequences The first that the former Covenant by this word was declared old Next that as it was declared old it was so declared shortly after to be abolished Then 1. The least word that proceedeth out of Gods mouth is weighty and worthy of consideration 2. Whatsoever Gods word doth import by due consequence must be taken for Gods truth and Gods minde as if it were expressed 3. Seeing Christ is come and the time is now of this New Covenant we know that by Gods authority the Levitical ordinances and whole form of the Legal
repeated But Christs entry into Heaven to be perfect because but once not to be repeated 3. The Levitical Priests entred by the blood of Goats and Calves But Christ entred by his own blood 1. And if Christ entred but once into Heaven after his Suffering Then Wee must not think that his Body is any where else but in Heaven onely wherein it is once onely entred 2. If the blood whereby Christ entred into Heaven was his own blood Then 1. Verily Christs Body was like ours in substance having blood in it as ours and wee must not conceive otherwise of his body than to be of the same substance and substantial properties with ours 2. The blood belonged to the same person to whom the properties of God belongeth so often in this Epistle attributed unto Christ. His Blood was the blood of God Act. 20.28 That is the same Jesus was God and man with flesh and blood in one person 3. The Fruit of Christs bloody Sacrifice hee maketh The Eternal Redemption of those for whom hee offered it And to the typical Sacrifice hee ascribeth no redemption at all in the comparison Thereby giving us to understand 1. That from the worlds beginning to the end thereof salvation of sinners is by way of Christs Redemption That is by his loosing them through payment of a price 2. That the Redemption was manifested to have force when after his bloody Sacrifice hee entred into Heaven 3. That such as are once redeemed by Christ are Eternally Redeemed not for a time to fall away again but eternally to be saved most certainly Vers. 13. For if the blood of Bulls and of Goats and the Ashes of an Heifer sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh Vers. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your consciences from dead works to serve the living God To prove that eternal Redemption is the fruit of Christs Sacrifice he reasoneth thus If the Typical Sacrifices and Rites of old were able to work that for which they were ordained that is external Sanctification Much more shall Christs true Sacrifice be able to work that for which it was appointed that is Eternal Remission of sins and inward Sanctification unto eternal life Then there are two sorts of Sanctification One external of the flesh which maketh a man holy to the Church whatsoever he be within Another internal of the conscience and inner man which maketh a man holy before God 2. The purifying of the flesh he maketh to be by the exercise of such and such Ordinances of Divine Service for the time Then External or Church-holiness of the outward man is procured by such and such exercises of Divine Ordinances in the Church as serve to make a man to be reputed and holden for clean before men and so to be received for a member of the Church as is to be seen Numb 19. 3. From his form of reasoning we learn That whatsoever liberty and access of coming to the Church was made to the Jew of old by these ceremonies of the Law as much and more liberty is made to the Christian to come in to God by the blood of Christ. 4. In describing Christs Sacrifice he saith Christ through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God Then 1. Christ is both the Sacrifice and the Priest in one person He offered himself as man through the Eternal Spirit that is by the vertue and power of his own Godhead by which he preached before his Incarnation to sinners 1 Pet. 3.19 2. His sacrifice was without spot He was that spotless Lamb in whom was no sin nor imperfection nor defect of any thing that the sacrifice required 3. The vertue of the sacrifice which made it to purchase Eternal Redemption unto us floweth from the infinite worth of his Eternal Godhead 4. Albeit Christs two natures have their distinct respects in the actions of his Office yet Christ is one and undivided in the execution of his Office 5. The fruit and force of the sacrifice is set down in this that this Blood shall purge our conscience from dead works to serve the living God That is shall both absolve a man from his foregon sin and also enable him to serve God for time to come Then 1. Sins are but dead works flowing from nature dead in sin and not onely deserving but also drawing on death upon the sinner 2. The conscience lieth polluted with the filthiness of dead works till the vertue of the blood of Jesus applied bring intimation of absolution 3. Christs blood doth not purge the Conscience from dead works that a man should go wallow in them again but that he may serve the living God more acceptably 4. The purging vertue of Christs blood is joyned with the sanctifying and renewing of the absolved sinner and what God hath conjoyned let no man put asunder Vers. 15. And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions which were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Now lest any man should stumble at Christs death he sheweth a necessity thereof in respect of his office of Mediation and the purchase to be made by his Redemption The force of the reason is this Remission of sins could not have been given under the Law except the Mediator had been to pay the price of the same under the Gospel Nor could the faithful and called ones either then or now obtain eternal life for an inheritance otherwise than by the Mediators death Therefore it behoved the true Mediator by means of death to pay the promised price of the purchase of remission of sins and eternal life Then 1. The remission of transgressions and the inheritance of eternal life are both fruits of Christs Passion 2. The fruits of his Passion extended themselves unto them who were under the Old Testament as well as unto us under the New 3. The way of purchase of these benefits was by Redemption that is to say by lawful purchase such as might satisfie justice 4. The way in special was by means of the Mediators death His life was laid down to redeem ours His one life as good as all ours 5. For this cause Christ took the office of a Mediator unto himself that he might have right and interest by death to make this purchase 6. And therefore except he had really died the purchase could not have been lawfully made Vers. 16. For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator Another reason to prove the necessity of Christs death from the force of the word Covenant which signifieth also a Testament The force of the reason is this Christ Jer. 31.31 promised to make a New Covenant and therefore also a New Testament iâ— to make a New Testament then also he promised
Yea now under the Gospel coming unto Christ we are in better case than they who lived before Christ because they were bound to all the Ceremonial and Typical Ordinances of the Law under the Old Covenant But we are exempted from that Old Covenant and are entred into the New which freeth us from that yoke which the Israelites could never bear 16. Without Christ we stand alone and none to plead for us before our Judge But when we come to Christ we finde him a Mediator both to deliver us from the Old Covenant and to take burthen for us for keeping of the New Covenant 17. Without Christ unrighteous and unholy When we come to Christ we come to be sprinkled with his blood for Justification and Sanctification also and for receiving of all other benefits bought by that blood He compareth this blood with Abels as speaking better things For albeit we by our sins have made our LORD to serve yea and to dye also ye doth his blood not speak against us as Abels did speak against Cain and the Earth for drawing down of a curse on both But speaketh to GOD still to pacifie his wrath and to pardon us and to our conscience to cleanse it and make it quiet within us From this comparison of men under the Law and under Grace we learn 1. That the impenitent and unrenewed man how secure soever he â—it yet he is in a fearful estate the wrath of the Judge from his Justice Seat being ready to break out upon him 2. That the wakened conscience lying in the sense of its own sins and fear of the offended Iudge is much to be pitied 3. That the holiest man on earth if GOD reveal unto him the terror of his Justice he will be shaken with fear 4. That the onely remedy against the challenge of the Conscience and fear of the Law and Wrath is to have recourse to JESUS CHRIST 5. That he who is fled as a true penitent to JESUS CHRIST for refuge to be saved and directed and ruled by him is a true Member of the true Catholick Church of the Elect whatsoever be mens estimation of him 6. That the more graciously we be dealt with under the Gospel the more must we beware of Fleshliness and Prophanity For to this end all his speech doth tend Vers. 25. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh for if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth much more shall not we escape if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven From these considerations he chargeth them to beware leâ—t they make light account of Christs Doctrine The word importeth a shifting off Christ speaking by some excuse or pretence Then 1. The way to eschew Prophaness and Apostasie is to embrace and make much of Christs speaking unto us in his Word 2. Whatsoever pretences and excuses a man use to cloak his not-giving hearty obedience to the Doctrine of Christ it is but a refusing of him and a turning away from him make of it what he will 2. Hee urgeth this by threatning more certain and heavy judgements than upon the despisers of Moses who is said to speak on Earth because he was but the earthen vessell which carried Gods will to his people and by earthly Types and Figures made offer of Grace unto them But Christ as God by his own Authoritie casting Heaven open in the plainness and spirituality of the Doctrine is said to speak from Heaven Then As much as Christs person is more excellent than Moses and His Authority above his and the Heavenly clearness of Christs gracious Offer above his dark Types As much more heavy and certain Wrath shall overtake the despisers of his Doctrine than the despisers of Moses Law 3. Hee joyneth himself in the same danger with the people if He should turn away or refuse Then Preachers shall do well to lay the edge of their threatnings to their own hearts and to enroll themselves amongst the threatned That bitterness towards the people may be seen to be removed and their own sluggishness may be roused up seeing they have none to preaâ—h unto them but themselves Vers. 26. Whose voyce then shook the Earth But now Hee hath promised saying Yet once more I shake not the Earth onely but also Heaven To put an edge upon the Threatning he sheweth how terrible Christ is in shaking of the Earth by His Voice at Mount Sinai and by the shaking of Heaven and Earth at the Day of Iudgement Then 1. The terrible quaking of the Earth and burning of the Mount Sinai was pronounced by the Voice of Christ who therefore is declared to be the Lord God for so Exod. 19. is he called 2. His Terrour at the Day of Judgement may be seen in that little resemblance of Mount Sinai 3. The Terribleness of Christ should make us stand in awe of His Word Vers. 27. And this Word Yet once more doth signifie the removing of those things which are shaken as of things which are made that those things which cannot be shaken may remain Hee commenteth upon the testimony of Haggai Chap. 1. 6. and from this word Once concludeth that Heaven and Earth shall passe away and be changed at the power of Christs uttering of his voyce That these changeable Heavens and Earth being removed he may make a new Heaven and a new Earth wherein his Subjects and his Kingdome over them may remain for ever setled Then 1. It is a good mean to get the understanding of Gods mind in the Scripture to consider and weigh the force of the words thereof and what they do import by due consequence 2. No more change shall be of any thing after the day of Judgement because Once more and no oftener is Christ to shake the same 3. It is for the standing of Christs Kingdome that the creature is moved shaken and chanâ—ed yâ—ed All things made shall be shaken But Christs Kingdome and the salvation of his subjects shall never be shaken Vers. 28. Wherefore wee receiving a Kingdome which cannot bee moved let us have grace whereby wee may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear From the nature of this Kingdome granted unto us in Christ and from his terribleness he exhorteth us to stedfastness of Faith and humble obedience Hee saith Wee have received it because wee have received the Right and Title by the Gospel and some beginning of it Then As we receive Christ in the Gospel wee receive the Kingdome of Heaven with him in Right and Title yea in begun possession which groweth by degrees 2. Hee requireth of a receiver of this Kingdome a reverent serving of God Then right is given to this Kingdome before our service be done Not because we have seâ—ved heretofore but to oblige us to serve God hereafter 3. Hee will have us to serve God acceptably that is pleasantly and chearfully Next with reverence or shamefastness and godly fear Then 1. It is not enough that wee do
store reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men Argum. 4. The Heavens which now are and the Earth which now is are by the same word and his efficacious will reserved unto the fire of the last judgement when the wicked and especially the scoffers at the coming of Christ shall be condemned and perish Vers. 8. But Beloved be not ignorant of this one thing that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day Hee takes away an Objection The wicked might say why doth hee defer his coming The answer is threefold First Although the Lord seems to defer his coming yet his deferring ought not to be an offence to any because this delay ought not to be estimated by our sense but out of Gods eternity to whom that space of time which seems to us to be very long is but as one day and with whom one day and a thousand years do not differ as to the proportion of measure Vers. 9. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise as some men count slackness but is long-suffering to us-ward not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance Answ. 2. This delaying doth not proceed from slackness as some Judge but from the patience of God towards us to wit the Elect whereas many as yet are not converted and whereof God will have none perish but all in his time to come to repentance which cannot be unless the coming of Christ should be deferred to a season For if God should anticipate the time of judgement decreed by himself some of them which hee hath chosen to salvation from eternity should perish Vers. 10. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night in the which the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up Answ. 3. And Argum. 5. Reproving scoffers from the manner of Christs coming which is described in three things 1. It shall be unawares to men as thieves use to come at such a time when they know they are least expected 2. It shall be with the greatest change of the whole universe 3. With the disanulling of all things wherein the Atheists sought their felicity in the world for the Heavens shall pass away with a great noise the elements shall melt with fervent heat the earth also and the works therein shall be burnt up so that all ought to be sollicitous in preparing themselves rather than to enquire curiously about the manner or time of his coming or to complain of his slackness The Second Part. Vers. 11. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved what manner of persons ought yee to be in all holy conversation and godliness The second part of the Chapter follows wherein hee draws this Doctrine into use by an Exhortation to follow after godliness and to perseverance in it The Arguments of the Exhortation are eight Argum. 1. By requiring a testimony from their consciences All these visible works especially which are in the earth are to be dissolved Therefore wee ought to follow after holiness Vers. 12. Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God wherein the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat Argum. 2. Because so it becomes you who expect with hope and hasten with desire to meet the Lord at his coming i. e. it behoves you hoping for the coming of Christ to labour patiently in your vocation and to endeavour after holiness Wherein Argum. 3. Because the coming of the Lord to judgement will be so terrible that the Heavens being on fire shall be dissolved and the elements shall melt with fervent heat Vers. 13. Nevertheless wee according to his promise look for new Heavens and a new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness 14. Wherefore Beloved seeing that yee look for such things be diligent that yee may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless Argum. 4. Because according to the promises of God Isa 65.17 and 66.22 wee expect new Heavens and a new Earth wherein the just alone shall dwell Therefore wee ought to endeavour after holiness and righteousness who have this hope Hee calls both the Heavens and the Earth the habitation of the just because the world shall be the Possession Palace and Kingdome of the Elect who shall accompany Christ wheresoever hee shall go Be diligent Hee adds Argum. 5. With a repetition of his Exhortation to holiness Being diligent that being without spot and blameless yee may be found of Christ in peace i. e. being reconciled to God and be accounted the friends of Christ by him when hee shall come to judgement Vers. 15. And account that the long-suffering of our Lord is salvation even as our beloved Brother Paul also according to the wisdome given unto him hath written unto you Argum. 6. With preventing an Objection yee ought to be so far from being overcome with weariness because Christ seems to defer his coming that on the contrary yee ought to account it a sign of salvation given to all of you that this is not delay but rather the forbearance of the Lord and slowness to wrath Even as Argum. 7. Paul in his Epistle written to you Hebrews according to the abundant measure of wisdome given to him diligently exhorts you to follow after holiness and patience under the hope of Christs coming as in many places so especially in the end of Chap. 10.36 verse Therefore ought yee to follow after holiness and patience Vers. 16 As also in all his Epistles speaking in them of these things in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest as they do also the other Scriptures unto their own destruction Hee takes occasion from the mention hee made of the Epistle of Paul to the Hebrews of commending the rest of Pauls Epistles for Canonical and to take away the offence upon the difficulty of some places in his Epistles from this that neither the sayings of Paul nor any other Scriptures are wrested unless by those that are unlearned and unstable or perverse men and that to the destruction of them that pervert them Vers. 17. Yee therefore Beloved seeing yee know these things before beware lest yee also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your own stedfastness 18. But grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ to him be glory both now and for ever Amen Argum. 8. Propounded by way of Exhortation to shake off the idleness of the flesh Being fore-admonished concerning the errours of false Teachers by which they seduce their Disciples from the way of Truth and Holiness yee ought so much the more not onely to beware lest yee fall from your own stedfastness i. e. from the Faith and Obedience